A public health nurse administers a COVID-19 vaccine. (File photo supplied by Southwestern Public Health)A public health nurse administers a COVID-19 vaccine. (File photo supplied by Southwestern Public Health)
Windsor

Province booking COVID-19 shots for those 45 and up, child care workers

Starting Tuesday, you can book your COVID-19 vaccination through the provincial booking system if you are 45 or older and live in a hot spot.

Child care workers at licensed centres can start booking appointments starting Thursday.

Identified by postal code, hot spots in Windsor-Essex start with N8X, N8Y, N9A, N9B, N9C, and in the southern end of the county with N8H and N9Y.

One postal code in Aylmer has been identified too as a hot spot.  That's N5H.

Those that book through the provincial online booking system, call centre, or the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit will get an appointment at a mass vaccination clinic in the region.

The number for the provincial vaccine booking line is 1-833-943-3900.

On Thursday, child care workers in licensed settings can also book their appointments through the provincial vaccine booking system. Those workers will need a letter from their employer. In the next few weeks, the province plans to extend eligibility to those working in unlicensed child care settings across Ontario.

Child care workers in Windsor-Essex have been able to book an appointment since Friday.

"Ontario's child care workers are making a difference and supporting working parents at this critical time," said Education Minister Stephen Lecce.

It could take time to book the appointment. The province is asking eligible residents to be patient. Vaccination rates depend on supply and may differ from region to region.

As of Monday, almost 4.8-million doses had been administered in Ontario. Over 90 per cent of those over 80 have had at least one shot, as have more than a third of the total population. More than 326,000 Ontarians have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

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